


In Your Shoes, Through Your Eyes

by kaIeido



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Betaed, Bodyswap, But only a little, Humor, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Warnings May Change, bc im gay and struggling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaIeido/pseuds/kaIeido
Summary: "So I'm left to wonder what sort of person you are, Ash. Your name doesn't match your appearance at all! Are you full of more surprises like that? Wait - you are! When I looked in the mirror, I was very surprised! You are rather pretty, and compared to you, I feel somewhat plain."Or - No Banana Fish. Instead, soulmates.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 88
Kudos: 169





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what sort of content this will have yet hence the tags and no specific archive warnings but i'd say go into this with the same mindset as banana fish itself?
> 
> edit: i changed eiji's sister's name but go read the [harbour](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1222346) series anyways it's good

Okumura Eiji is in love with the concept of soulmates. How can't he be, when he's been surrounded with the idea for as long as he can remember? Films show the anxious excitement leading up to one's eighteenth birthday, books tell stories about the confusion of waking up in someone else's body, and songs fondly recall the first time looking in the mirror and feeling pure love as their eyes took in the face of their soulmate. It's something he's been looking forward to for - God, he doesn't even know. He remembers whispering hopes and wishes about their soulmates late into the night with Chouko, and the faraway look in his mother's eyes as she wistfully retold her swap with his father. One of his friends, a year older than him, had swapped when Eiji was seventeen. She was a sweet, shy girl, and always forgot Eiji's name. Only living half an hour away in the next city over made meeting quick and easy. As soon as they'd met up, the swaps stopped. His friend had smugly refused to tell him anything, despite the pleading.

Now he's older, he's less enthusiastic, snuffing that flame of desperate want into a quieter spark of anticipation. That doesn't stop the butterflies in his stomach the night before, though.

When Eiji celebrates his eighteenth birthday on the thirteenth of August, he’s surrounded by his family's smiling faces. They're almost as excited as he is - more so than usual. After all, there’s a chance he’s the younger soulmate, and will wake up tomorrow in a stranger’s body. All his gifts are soulmate-centred - a pen with ink that was safe for skin, and a notebook specifically for leaving messages as an alternative. Chouko, that little brat, gifts him a good luck charm for love, wiggling her eyebrows as he opens the gift. He thanks her with a side-eyed glare. Later, he shoves it into his desk drawer, hoping his soulmate doesn't get too curious. The postman arrives around midday, along with a handful of letters from extended family. Eiji tries to ignore the money in the card as he reads their messages, all mentioning his soulmate in some way or another. 

Lying in bed that night, Eiji desperately tries not to think about his soulmate, so he can get some decent sleep. The alarm clock reads on in the morning. His mind's stuck on one train of thought, and in his exhausted state, he wonders if he even has a soulmate. Maybe they died a long time ago? Eiji slaps his palms over his eyes, pushing hard - _they're not dead, if they were dead I would feel it. I would know_. He silently berates himself for thinking such a thing. Curling in on himself, he takes slow, deep breaths, slowing down his heartbeat... finally drifting off.

He’s torn out of his sleep the next day when his excitement resurfaces, only to look in the mirror and see a familiar face reflecting his disappointment back at him.

* * *

Ash Lynx couldn't care less about soulmates. His father once told him - drunk and not in the mood to be a parent that day - he was unloveable, so that was that. Most of the time he doesn't think about them - he's too busy trying not to _die_ , there isn't any time to entertain frivolous _daydreams_.

(There was a time when he could. When Griffin would sit Aslan on his lap and tell him stories about brave knights and rescued princesses, of soulmates and finding the one. He never asked why Griffin had never swapped. He's not sure he would've liked the answer.)

Every once in a while, in the quiet of restless nights, Ash allows himself to think about it. Just for a little while. He hopes for his soulmate's sake, that they're dead, but he knows it isn't true. Sometimes he feels guilty wishing death upon someone he's supposed to hold near and dear, but he'd rather kill them himself than have them live a day as Ash Lynx, who has countless targets carved onto his back. 

As he approaches eighteen - a few days away now, with early August bringing in heatwaves - it becomes harder to ignore. Ash finds himself thinking about his soulmate more often than he likes to admit - and it's pissing him off. His soulmate clogs his brain and slows down his thought process - he needs his critical thinking to stay alive, _goddamn_. He can't let this go on or he'll end up dead in a ditch by the end of the week.

Dino’s insistence on his visits certainly don’t help. He shows up on some indiscriminate day of the month with as much attitude he can muster. Ash has never been explicitly _told_ why he’s forced to attend stupid brunches and answer questions like it’s a watered-down interview, but he does have a solid guess. With his birthday being on the twelfth, and the meetings being held roughly twice a month, it’s obvious that he’s keeping an eye out for his soulmate, looking to snuff them out as soon as the inevitable happens. It terrifies Ash, but he has no idea what to do about it yet. 

The questions Dino asks him he answers with ease - _of course he does, how the hell could he forget?_ When he receives a kiss for his trouble - as if it’s some sick reward - Ash hopes the universe doesn’t play another cruel trick and give him one of those disgusting bastards as his soulmate. It’s unlikely, but in a moment of bitter cynicism, it’s all he can think of.

Out of options and hoping to find some way to console himself, Ash gives Shorter a time and place. Huddled over their drinks, he quietly proposes a plan. If Skip wakes him up one day and finds it isn't Ash that's in his body, he'll find Shorter as fast as possible and tell him he needs help with homework, or whatever. (Skip had protested this at first - _why'd you have to make me sound like a baby?_ ) Shorter must then keep his eye on his soulmate at all times, no matter what. He pauses before giving the last part - a childish part of Ash wants to meet his soulmate one day. Shaking his head, he dismisses those hopeful thoughts. This is his life, and he'll be stuck in this hell until the day he finally dies. Shorter can't, under any circumstances, disclose any information about Ash. Of course, he can't conceal the obvious - his face, where he lives - but if Shorter shelters them enough, his soulmate won't learn his name, his job, or the specifics of his location. Shorter asks what he gets out of it. _You get the privilege of being my friend_ , Ash responds, and they laugh as if it's a lighthearted joke and not painfully true - as if a higher number of allies doesn’t mean an increased chance of survival.

Collapsing into bed, Ash half-heartedly kicks off one shoe before deciding it's not worth the effort. He throws a thin blanket over himself, ignoring the chill setting in his bones because _the radiator never works in this cheap-ass apartment_. He sends a quick text - well, as quick as he can be on a flip phone - to Shorter. _Don't forget_. Sighing, he rolls onto his back and tries to think of nothing as he falls into a restless sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a small prologue to kickstart things!
> 
> huge thanks to [my beta](https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/Phillida/pseuds/Phillida) for giving her thoughts and helping me out with this whole thing! she definitely improved this chapter a whole lot!
> 
> [tumblr](https://my-neighbor-totoroki.tumblr.com/) [bananafish tumblr](https://bananafisha.tumblr.com/)


	2. Upside, Inside Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eiji wakes up, Legend of Zelda style.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter said skipper rights ok
> 
> 11/8/20

" _..._ "

Someone's calling out to Eiji.

He can't see.

" _..._ "

He can't quite hear either.

Reaching out a hand, he hopes whoever's speaking will take it. 

He trusts them, for some reason.

The voice isn't one he's ever heard, he's sure of that.

" _..._ "

And yet it sounds vaguely familiar.

" _...!_ "

The voice gets louder.

Eiji pushes his hands over his ears.

Too loud.

It's too loud.

"...ss!"

"Boss!"

There's a slamming sound, followed by a quiet sigh.

"Oh, you're still sleeping. My bad... uh, I'll just come get you in a bit, okay? Don't bite my head off when I do!"

He hears soft patters as the speaker walks away, leaving him in silence.

Curiosity overrides Eiji’s tiredness, and he cracks open an eye. The sight that greets him isn’t one he’s ever seen before. He seems to be in some bedroom - perhaps the size of a large wardrobe - the walls rough brick, and the floorboards made of worn wood. It’s almost completely silent, save for the occasional quiet roar of machinery. Eiji frowns, inhaling deeply. The smell of damp plaster overwhelms him, making him wrinkle his nose. Now he knows he isn’t dreaming - but that raises more questions than answers. The bedsheet tightens beneath his grip, coarse and unfamiliar. As far as Eiji knows, he’d fallen asleep in his bed last night, so there’s no reason for him to be in another room, unless-

He’s swapped with his soulmate.

He stumbles out of bed, almost tripping over a single shoe as he does so. Eiji questions if there’s a mirror of any sort in this room or at least something he can see his reflection in. There isn’t, he finds after eyeing the bedroom over. Well, there might do, but he wasn't about to go nosing through a stranger’s drawers. He tries the only window in the room, small and secured with a thick padlock, but the glare of the sun makes it difficult to make out anything but a faint outline. Peering outside, he sees a commotion of people, filling up the streets below. Instead, Eiji tries to get as good of a look as he can without a mirror. The first thing he notices is he's wearing a rumpled shirt, jeans and a singular _shoe_ , despite being in bed moments before. He wrinkles his nose, hoping that his soulmate had been drunk instead of _choosing_ to sleep like this. Pulling at his hair, he tries to get a good look at the colour. _Blonde,_ Eiji thinks, eyebrows raised. Was his soulmate not Japanese? He teases the hair between his fingers - soft and feathery, and quite unlike his own.

The door creaks open, and Eiji freezes like a deer in headlights.

"Hey- Oh, you're up?" A young boy - perhaps around eleven or twelve - stands in the doorway, wide-eyed and speaking English. "Damn, that's a first!"

"Ah." It takes Eiji a few seconds to understand what he's saying - his English skills are good, but he doesn't know much slang. "Yes."

"Why d'you look so scared?" The boy snickers. "Did I come in at the wrong time?"

Eiji has no idea how to tell this child that he's not the person he thinks he is. _Surely there must be a protocol for this!_ He thinks. _There's no way I can just- say it! "Oh, hello small child, I'm not actually this person, I'm their soulmate!" That would be weird! Would a boy this young even understand soulmates?_

He flinches as a hand waves in front of his face.

"Hello?" The boy pulls back his arm, raising an eyebrow. "Earth to Ash?"

_Ash._

"Um- I'm not Ash." Eiji grimaces. "I'm a... soulmate?"

"Oh shit." The boy exclaims, eyes blown wide before backing away, fumbling with something in his pocket. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit- uh, you stay there! I have to- I have homework to do!" The door slams shut, followed by a small _click_.

Eiji stands in place, shocked. _What did I say wrong?_ He tries the door handle, but it won't budge. Scanning the room, he tries to find an alternative method of escape - the only other option is the window from earlier, but it wasn't any less locked. Instead, he sits back on the bed, folding his arms across his chest.

Eiji sighs. What's he supposed to do now? The only person who could give him any sort of information had just left! He doesn't even know if he's safe here, considering the child's suspicious behaviour - although, he _had_ talked to Ash like a friend.

_...Ash. Like cinders._

Eiji holds out a hand.

_What's he like?_

* * *

Eiji snaps his head up when the door bursts open. The boy is back, along with someone else. Eyes wide, Eiji cranes his neck to take a better look at at this man because he's _tall_. Easily over one hundred and eighty centimetres, perhaps bordering two hundred. The man grins nervously at him over a pair of sunglasses, running his hand through loud, purple hair.

"Hey!" He gives a short wave, glancing briefly at the boy. "You won't know me - well, obviously, you haven't met me before - but I'm As- I'm one of your soulmate's friends, and..." Grimacing, he mutters something unintelligible. "...okay, this is gonna sound super shady, but it's probably not a good idea for you to stay here? So we need to take you somewhere else? But-" He holds up a strip of fabric. "-you can't see where we're going, so we're gonna have to. Um. Blindfold you."

The boy smirks. "That was terrible."

Eiji stands in silence because what's he even supposed to _say_ to something like that? It sounds an awful lot like he's being kidnapped. Except in the movies, they usually take the victims and go. Most kidnappers don't ask for permission beforehand.

"I promise we're not trying to hurt you! It's for your safety!" The man tries again.

Crossing his arms, Eiji glares at both of them as threateningly as he can. Perhaps they're trying to exploit his naivety of the situation and gain his trust? 

"I'm not going anywhere until you can prove you're not going to hurt me." He says, fear twinging in his chest at the possibility of the man dropping his nice act and grabbing him by force.

The man sighs, slumping on the floor and muttering a string of curses. 

"Hey- at least we know the boss's soulmate isn't a complete dumbass?" The young boy suggests, shrugging his shoulders. "But then again, someone would have to be a total idiot to believe the shit you just said."

Eiji hears that strange name from him again. He’s sure _boss_ means an employer, but the boy looks too young to have a job. 

"Alright, then, how would you have done it?" 

The boy pauses for a second, before extending a hand to Eiji. "Hi, nice to meet you! I'm Skipper, but you can call me Skip!"

"Eiji Okumura." Eiji shakes his hand, introducing himself in the way that English-speakers are used to. Skip can't possibly be dangerous, right? He's just a child, and he seemed amicable before...

Skip's eyes light up as Eiji gives him a small smile. Whipping his head round to the purple-haired man, he smirks.

"See? It's not that hard to not sound like a weirdo!"

"Yeah, yeah," The man grins. He points a thumb towards himself. "Hey, Eiji. I'm Shorter."

Eiji blinks, unused to his first name being used by strangers, then nods. "Nice to meet you, too. But- Why do you need to take me elsewhere?"

"Ah... landlord's an asshole, and A- your soulmate hasn't paid rent yet." Shorter averts his eyes, chuckling.

Eiji nods. He doesn't want to confront an angry landlord!

"Why do you have to blindfold me?" He frowns. "Please understand, that part still sounds very suspicious."

"Yeah, you're right." Shorter laughs. "...Have you ever ridden a motorcycle, though?"

Eiji shakes his head, wondering what _that_ question has anything to do with their current situation.

"Well- It's pretty scary riding one for the first time, and seeing how fast we're going might freak you out, and you could fall off- like how you have to blindfold a horse to keep it calm, right?" Shorter shrugs, toying with the piece of fabric. "Like I said - It's for your safety."

Eiji mulls over this explanation. He certainly hasn't ever _heard of_ anything like that before - perhaps it's a foreign precaution? Although he hasn't seen it in any of the English films Chouko makes him watch... but he supposes it _would_ be less exciting for the characters to have a blindfold on their face. He shoots a glance in Skip's direction, who gives him a quick thumbs up.

"Okay." He stands up.

Skip unlocks the door as Shorter cheers, sweeping Eiji off the ground in a bridal-style carry. Sputtering indignantly, he pushes at Shorter's chest as he carries him out of the apartment and onto the street with cries of _I can walk myself!_ Shorter points out that Eiji is still missing a shoe, finally letting him down as he sits him on the back of the bike. Picking up a helmet, he shoves it over his head before picking up the blindfold. Shorter’s fluorescent orange puffer jacket is the last thing Eiji sees before his world is swathed in darkness. A squeezing sensation oh the sides of his head shocks him until he brings his hands up to his face. _Ah_ \- Shorter must’ve given him a helmet. Eiji barely hears Skip shout for him to hold on tight before the engine roars to life, and they race off.

* * *

Trying to still his shaking legs - _motorcycles are too fast, too dangerous_ \- Eiji patiently waits for Shorter to untie his blindfold. Soon enough, he squints in the sudden light as the fabric falls away. He takes in his surroundings - nondescript boxes line the walls, stacked on metal shelves. 

Shorter grins, arms spread wide. "Welcome to the restaurant!"

"It doesn't look like a restaurant?" 

"Well, yeah - you're in the storage room." Shorter chuckles. He tilts his head in the direction of a door. "Proper place is that way."

"May I look?" Eiji asks politely, but inside he's itching with curiosity.

"Go ahead!"

Eiji sticks his head through a gap in the door. After determining that it's safe, he walks in. A few people are sitting at booths here and there, but for the most part, it's empty. The radio plays quietly from a small speaker sitting at the cashier's desk.

"And _this_ is 'mon restaurant!'" Shorter grins. "That's French for 'my shithole.'"

"Shorter!" A voice softly protests behind them. Eiji turns around and is met with the calm gaze of a middle-aged woman, her hair short and dark. "Don't disrespect our place like that."

Shorter gives a quick apology as she tilts her head to the side, watching Eiji in the way a street cat would watch a passerby.

"Why are you showing Ash around? He's been here before."

"What? Well, y'know. It's not... him." 

"I see." The woman nods, and there's no change in her expression. "Well, I have work - I'll let you two get on with whatever you need to do." And with that, she busies herself with a new customer, as if they were never there.

Shorter brings Eiji to a free booth.

"That was my sister, Nadia," He explains, sensing Eiji's confusion, and he nods.

"So, _Eiji_ -" Shorter grins, a glint in his eye. "Where are you from?"

"Japan- more specifically, Izumo." Strangely, he feels a little homesick. He knows Chouko is going to be all over his poor soulmate, and he's going to miss that excitement.

Shorter whistles. "Damn, you're _far._ Your English is pretty good."

"Thank you!" Eiji bows his head, blushing. "I take classes."

"What do you look like?" Shorter leans forward, one elbow on the table.

"Ah... I'm a little short, I have black hair, and-" Eiji pauses, stuck on how to describe his face. "If I had a pen and paper, I could show you? I'm not an artist, but-"

Shorter grabs a napkin out of the dispenser and a pen from his pocket, handing them over. A few minutes later, and Eiji realises that this is a bad idea - all he's got to show for himself are some black scribbles. He turns the napkin over, sighing, and settles on drawing a simplified Eiji, highlighting the most prominent things about him - his tough, slightly curly hair, his unfortunate babyface, and his favourite NoriNori jumper. Shorter picks up the paper, squinting.

"Wow, you weren't lying when you said you weren't an artist."

Eiji puffs out his cheeks, frowning. It's not like art is something he's ever wanted to pursue, so it's not his fault if he's bad!

"Hey, your hair kinda looks like Nadia's," He says after some examination. "Is that the trendy cut for girls right now?"

"What- I'm not a girl!" Eiji crosses his arms in protest, blushing when a few customers send him disapproving glances for his outburst.

"Wait, really? But Ash-" Shorter quickly raises his eyebrows, before smoothing his face into something more neutral. "That- There's nothing wrong with that, obviously - you could always be platonic soulmates."

Eiji shakes his bowed head. He knows - for some reason, somehow, he knows it's not platonic. He could reach deep into his chest if he wanted, to ask himself what sort of love he feels, and he'd always whisper back _you already know the answer_. And he does.

"That's fine, man." Shorter gently nudges Eiji's shoed foot with his own. "No problems here, if you swing that way."

Eiji raises his head, confusion furrowing his brows at the strange idiom.

"It doesn't matter if you're gay," Shorter says bluntly.

"Yes... I'm gay," Eiji murmurs, half to confirm Shorter's words, but also because he's never said the words before, even in his native language. They feel odd and unfamiliar - although, maybe that was the English. He whispers the same phrase in Japanese, surprised when it still awkwardly rolls off the tongue. Part of him feels shame saying it, but - the other half feels a strange elation. He gives Shorter a wide smile, who returns the gesture with a wolfish grin of his own.

A cheerful jingle sounds from behind them. Eiji turns around to see Skip jogging towards them, waving cheerfully.

"Hey!" He exclaims, slamming his hands on the table. Some patrons shoot him dirty looks. "Sorry I took ages! I had to cycle. They don't give driving licenses to twelve-year-olds." He picks Eiji's drawing off of the table, scrunching his nose as he turns it this way and that. "What's this?"

"It's a drawing of me!" Eiji points at various spots on the napkin. "That's my favourite jumper- and that's my hair-"

Skip laughs. "Full offence, Eiji - I could do way better."

"I'm _not_ an _artist_! I've said it before! It's a simplified diagram." Skip sniggers as Eiji pouts, crossing his arms.

"Man, it's so weird." Shorter chuckles. "You make all these faces that Ash wouldn't be caught dead doing."

"Ash-" Eiji says, hoping his accent wasn't butchering his name. "Does he not emote with his face? What type of person is he?"

Shorter frowns so quickly that Eiji almost misses it before his face stretches into a teasing grin. "You should ask him that yourself. It'd ruin all the fun if I told you."

Skip continues to point out the shaky line work and crude features to Shorter, who laughs heartily. Quietly excusing himself, Eiji follows a small sign pointing towards the bathroom. He makes sure the door is locked before taking a look in the cracked mirror.

The man in front of him raises his eyebrows, mouth parted slightly. A hand raises, unsure of its direction, before deciding to lightly rest on his cheek. Eiji takes a step back but doesn't break eye contact with the reflection. He questions why the universe gave Eiji - average looking, could be called 'cute' in the way one would describe a puppy - someone like _this_ as his soulmate. Not that he's complaining. He gives Ash a smile, a frown, a pout - they all look ridiculously good on him. Remembering what Shorter had said earlier, Eiji wonders if Ash would ever make those faces voluntarily, and how many more he would if he thought he was alone. He feels a strong urge to talk to his soulmate, face to face, and learn everything about him. Instead, he settles for the next best thing. Perching himself on the side of the sink, Eiji pulls out the borrowed pen and begins to write.

_Dear Ash,_

Was that too formal? But considering they were still strangers...

_My name is Eiji Okumura! We're soulmates! But you already know that, considering we've swapped bodies… I certainly was not expecting a swap today! But it was a nice surprise! I met two of your friends, Skip and Shorter! They are very funny, but sometimes they can be quite mean. I think they are joking. At first, I didn't trust them! They entered your room and Shorter told me he needed to take me elsewhere, and I had to be blindfolded. It sounded suspicious! But Shorter explained to me about your landlord (please pay the rent soon, Ash!) and he brought a blindfold just in case it was my first time riding a motorcycle, and it was! How considerate!_

Eiji feels like he's writing a paragraph for his English class, but he continues nonetheless.

_I am writing this in Shorter's restaurant. It's a very nice place, but I haven't tried any of the food yet. I think it would be nice._

His stomach rumbles.

_It would be nice if we could meet and talk. Shorter won't tell me anything about you! He says it would be no fun if he did. So I'm left to wonder what sort of person you are, Ash. Your name doesn't match your appearance at all! Are you full of more surprises like that? Wait - you are! When I looked in the mirror, I was very surprised! You are rather pretty, and compared to you, I feel somewhat plain._

Eiji stops, out of space. He's completely covered Ash's forearm in his neat writing. After a few moments of searching, he finds a space to sign off, adding a small smiley face. He shakes his arm as he waits for the ink to dry, and for extra measure, he takes a roll of bandages from the complimentary sanitary basket and carefully wraps his arm. Pulling down the sleeve so it covers the bandage, he makes his way back to where Shorter and Skip were waiting. A steaming bowl of noodles sits in front of them, and Eiji eyes them wordlessly.

"I figured you'd be hungry." Shorter grins, pushing the bowl towards him.

* * *

Despite what Shorter had told him, Eiji still asks questions about Ash, hoping he can weasel _some_ information out. It doesn’t work. Shorter dismisses him with either a small joke or something along the same vein of what he’d said before. He tries Skip instead, asking about the word he’d used to refer to Ash. _Boss._ Skip gives him finger guns and tells him it’s a nickname, part of some inside joke. 

Eiji spends the rest of the day wandering around the restaurant, either Skip or Shorter not too far behind. He talks to Nadia briefly, but the small, steady stream of customers keeps her busy. She _does_ mention to him that they’re in America, and Eiji knows Chouko would combust out of sheer excitement at that. He can't wait to see her again.

When the light from outside dims and fills the restaurant with a warm glow, Shorter insists Eiji sleeps in the storage room. He needs to talk to Ash tomorrow, he says. As expected, he wasn't able to fall asleep very quickly.

* * *

When Eiji wakes up the next day, in his bed and not on a sheet on the floor, he examines his skin for any sort of message from Ash. Finding nothing, he moves onto the notebook, frowning when all he sees are blank pages. He looks around his room - _maybe he left a message elsewhere_ \- but seemingly nothing has changed. Mouth pulled into a thin line, Eiji slams a cupboard door shut. Soft patters can be heard outside his door, gradually getting louder until Chouko throws his door open, gushing rapidly. He holds his hands up as she circles him, jumping excitedly.

"Slow down!" Eiji laughs. Chouko does, her eyes sparkling as she clasps her hands.

"What happened? Tell me! Ooh - what does her house look like? Does she have a cat? - Oh, please tell me she has a cat!"

Eiji wrinkles his nose. _She?_ Skip and Shorter had used male pronouns when referring to Ash - but he could understand why he'd do that. Eiji feels equal parts gratitude and frustration. He hadn't come out to his family yet, but it would've been a whole lot easier if someone else could've done the whole terrifying ordeal for him. Chouko must mistake his expression for displeasure at her outburst because she stops speaking and frowns. Eiji waves a finger in her face, which she bats away with a huff.

"Nope - not saying anything until _you_ tell _me_ what she's like!"

"Not fair!" She whines.

"My soulmate, my rules!"

Chouko sighs dramatically, sitting on Eiji's bed.

"She didn't speak Japanese for one, so I had to use my terrible English!" She cups her cheeks with her hands. "But I think it was okay? Like, she seemed a little confused, but that's probably normal..." Chouko perks up. "Oh! But we did watch a movie together! She fell asleep halfway through... but she looked like she was interested! And she said Kurumi was cool!"

Eiji gives a small smile - he's glad Ash entertained his sister. It couldn't have been easy, not with her tendency to get excited and her incessant questioning.

"There, I said it - a deal's a deal! What happened to you?" Chouko crosses her arms.

"Okay, fine." Eiji grins. "I was _very_ surprised when I woke up..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wait i wanna try something if you're here from my Tumblr gimme a lil :) in the comments
> 
> again big thanks to [my beta](https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/Phillida/pseuds/Phillida) for helping me hold this whole thing together :)
> 
> [writing tumblr](https://my-neighbor-totoroki.tumblr.com/)


	3. Similar Fates, Instinct, Differences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, Ash. How was your first day?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks everyone for the patience! this is the longest I've gone between chapters, but it's also the longest chapter I've written so, yay!
> 
> also **IMPORTANT!** if you started reading this before the 11th of august, please go back and reread!! especially the 1st chapter!! some core elements have been changed so you will be confused if you don't!! thanks :)

Ash has no idea what time it is, but he knows it's too early to be stomping around like an _elephant_. He rolls over, burying his head under his blanket as his door is thrown open. It must be Skip, coming to wake him up - not that he needed it after hearing him arrive every morning. Ash liked the kid, but - _fuck -_ it wouldn't kill him to be a little quieter. A heavy weight on the end of his bed pushes down on the mattress, babbling incoherently about something. If Ash had been a little more awake, he would've thought, _what the fuck? Why the hell is Skip crawling across me like a cat at three in the morning?_ but instead he's just woken up and not the mood to critically think, so he groans and pushes Skip off. There's a loud _thump_ as he falls onto the floor. Ash hears a grumble as footsteps gently fade out. Eyes still closed, he sticks out an arm to feel around his nightstand for his phone - only to find nothing there.

His eyes snap open. Something isn't right. The ceiling above him is a smooth white, no sign of any flaking paint or discoloured patches, and the ever-present smell of damp plaster is missing. Ash stays still, his breath quiet and shallow - if anyone was in the room with him, he'd hear them. When all is silent, he sits up.

The place he's in is... not what he thought it'd be. Sure, he doesn't know _what_ exactly he'd expected, but it sure as hell hadn't been some kid's bedroom. Ash slips out of bed, careful not to make any sound as he pads across the wooden floor. A goofy-looking bird plush catches his eye. Ash wrinkles his nose as he turns it this way and that, raising more questions than answers. He opens the chest of drawers the thing was sitting on, hoping to find some clue to his whereabouts. There are some t-shirts with the same weird bird as well as other various times of clothing, but no answers. Carefully returning the clothes to their previous spot so as not to alert suspicion, Ash moves onto the nightstand, on the opposite side of the bed. On top rests a small frame. It holds a photo of a young boy, perhaps around thirteen, smiling and surrounded by people who must be his friends. _That's some sort of clue_ , Ash thinks. _Probably this kid's bedroom._ He's not any closer to figuring out exactly _why_ he's here - as far as he remembers, he'd clocked out in _his_ bed last night. Unless he's finally losing his mind.

A flash of black catches his attention. He whips his head around to confront the source, silently cursing himself for not hearing anyone enter.

He's greeted with a mirror instead of a stranger.

The face that stares back is unfamiliar, nonetheless.

A _crash_. His shaking hands are empty. Ash barely notices the photo frame on the floor, shattered. He shakes his head once, twice, thrice - _this is a dream- a nightmare- wake up, I'll be fine_ \- but a stranger's bewildered face continues to greet him every time his vision refocuses. Ash staggers forward, attempting to go somewhere (where?) Head full, he trips on nothing, frantically trying to balance himself, but it's futile. He falls onto the broken frame, shards digging into his knees, and he bites down on his hand, _hard_ , swallowing a scream. 

A voice pulls him out of his spiral. He looks for the culprit.

A young girl stands in the doorway with a face of mild displeasure, although it softens when she sees Ash's bloody knees. She tuts, calling something incomprehensible as she walks off.

One half of Ash wants to crawl after her and pry some answers out of her, but the other wants to lock the door until he can sort out his mind.

He should've expected this, really. A swap somewhere around one's eighteenth birthday was the most common, after all. Instead of actually _doing_ something about it, he'd just dumped the responsibility on Shorter, then fucked off. _Idiot_. He would've been able to plan better if he had someone to leech information from, _anything_ about how the swaps worked, but everyone he knows either hasn't swapped, should preferably be held at arm's length - the less his gang knows about his personal affairs, the better - or actively wants him dead. Nadia's the only decent source, but since she'd discovered her soulmate was a _cop_ , of all people, he'd decided it'd be better to be seen around her less. Both for his benefit and hers.

The girl is back again, this time holding a small box in her hands. She kneels in front of Ash, carefully nudging bloodstained glass out of the way. Taking tweezers from the box, she clicks them towards Ash, motioning him to give her a clear look at his knees.

Normally Ash would've been highly suspicious, as he is with everyone. It's something people develop when everyone's constantly out for their ass, he guesses. But this girl couldn't be more than- what? Twelve? Thirteen? The same age as Skip, maybe? And that face she'd made at first, where she'd puffed out her cheeks and scrunched her nose? Classic bratty kid behaviour.

Ash unfolds his legs from underneath him, baring his bloodied knees to the girl, who winces in sympathy. She says something, voice raised in a question. Ash doesn't catch what she says - it's in a language he doesn't know. Probably an Asian language, Ash gathers from her appearance. But identifying it doesn't make it any easier to figure out _what_ she's saying. When he doesn't answer, she rolls her eyes and sighs, before trying again.

"Um," Ash says, very eloquently. "I don't understand."

The girl's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and she flicks her gaze towards the door, mouth open as she takes in a sharp breath. Ash quickly slaps his hand over her mouth before she has any time to shout. If there's anyone else in this house - well, he'd rather just deal with one stranger at a time.

Furrowing her brows, she scratches at Ash's hand. He brings a finger up to his lips, making sure she gets the message loud (or silent) and clear. Her eyes wide, she nods, and Ash removes his hand.

"You are soulmate...?" She whispers almost immediately. Ash nods. "I understand." She gestures to the glass, wrinkling her nose. "Eiji is too cautious. He would not drop the photo."

"Who?" Ash asks, cautiously eyeing the tweezers as she brings them towards his knees.

"Eiji. My brother." She pokes his chest. "You." She pokes herself, this time. "I am Okumura Chouko!"

Searing pain spreads through his knees as Chouko pulls out the shards of glass, and he hisses. No matter how many times he's been shot, or stabbed, having something extracted from him is one of the worst pains - right up there with burns. Chouko gives a soft exhale as the final glass piece drops onto the broken frame, and she picks up a roll of bandages. It's silent as she wraps the gauze around his knees. Finally, she leans back with a self-satisfied nod.

"You are bandaged." She eyes the stained picture of her brother and his friends, sighing, before pointing a finger towards Ash. "Be careful."

Ash nods, mind still elsewhere. "Yeah, sure."

Chouko sits in silence for a moment, though Ash can practically _hear_ her vibrating on the spot. Her gaze constantly flicks between Ash, his knees, and the shards of glass still on the floor. After a while she stands, pointing towards the mess.

"I will find a tool to clean the glass." She fixes him with a stern stare. "Stay."

Ash nods silently, and she leaves the room. _What a bossy kid. Jesus_. _Her brother better not be like that_. He catches that train of thought with a raise of his brows, then shakes his head to clear it. That doesn't matter to him. The only time he should be thinking about his soulmate - _What was his name, again?_ \- is when he's trying to figure out how not to get them both killed. If one dies in the other's body, they're both going down - and he's not going to let all of his years of hard work go down the drain now. With any luck, Shorter has him successfully sheltered, and Ash will have some time to figure out how to make this work before he has to visit Dino again.

Chouko returns with a dustpan and brush, and a plastic bag, carefully picking her way through the shards before starting to sweep.

"My mother is cooking breakfast." Ash sniffs - and there's a faint smell of something edible. "She says it will be ready soon."

"Okay." He probably sounds dismissive, but he can't help it - the gears are turning in his head, he needs to come up with some sort of plan as soon as possible.

"I am sorry!" Chouko frowns, pushing out her bottom lip. "I know my English is not good. Eiji helps me learn... But I will get better by myself!" She inches closer, eyeing him curiously, and Ash shifts further away. "So I can ask you questions! May I?"

"Sure," Ash says, forcing himself to relax - he's already made a scene by breaking the photo frame, acting tense is only going to raise further suspicion. He's sure he'll have time to think later. Leaning back, he loosens his gritted jaw. "What do you wanna know?"

Chouko's eyes sparkle as she clasps her hands together. "What is your name?"

"Jennifer." Ash leans forward, arms wrapped around his knees. If his soulmate had ever mentioned that their bond was romantic, then it'd be less conspicuous if he was a girl. Especially if he'd have to meet anyone outside his family.

"Oh!" Chouko beams. "What a pretty name!" She leans in closer. "How old are you? What do you look like? Do you have a pet? Is it a cat? I would like a cat but my mother said-"

A stern voice comes from the doorway, making her jump. Standing with her arms crossed is a short woman, perhaps middle-aged. She glares at Chouko, and a string of sharp words leaves her mouth. Chouko shakes her head, replying in an indignant tone. Finally, she stops, looking at Ash, and says something before leaving the room. Chouko crosses her arms, puffing out her cheeks.

"What did she say?"

"I have not completed my chores, and I need to as soon as I have finished eating breakfast." She huffs. "She says to you - to her, it is Eiji - get your hair cut soon. It is a mess."

Ash subconsciously pushes away the hair touching his face at that. "You didn't tell her?"

"No! It is more exciting if _you_ tell her!" Her hand comes to the bottom of her chin as she narrows her eyes. "I am not sure how you will do that. My mother does not speak English, and you do not speak Japanese..."

“You’ll have to do it.”

Chouko pouts. “You are right…” Her face then stretches into a wide grin, and she stands up, taking the bag of glass shards with her. "I will help finish breakfast and tell her! Get yourself dressed, okay?"

And with that, she's gone.

Good.

Unfortunately, he doesn't know how long she'll be gone for, so he'll have to set aside a specific amount of time for planning later. Right now, however? He can use the time to find out more about his soulmate - to find out the best way to communicate with him and twist him in a way that benefits Ash's future plans.

Starting with judging the book by its cover, he decides to take a good look in the mirror. Of course, people tend to underestimate Ash based on _his_ appearance, but that's an exception. If people look like sketchy pieces of shit, they likely _are_ sketchy pieces of shit, he's found over the years. _This one doesn't_ , he thinks, as he looks up at his face.

The first thing he notices is the boy's eyes.

Not because they're anything special, just staring back at him in the way a reflection does. It's only because it felt natural for his gaze to fall forward. In fact, they're pretty unremarkable - a dark, muddy brown that looks closer to black. His hair, thick and wiry, is the polar opposite to Ash's. It doesn't look like he spends that much time on it - or maybe that's just the bedhead. Looking at his face, Ash decides his soulmate can't be more than sixteen, with the rounder cheeks of someone who has yet to lose their baby fat. He stretches, bringing his arms in front of his face, and blinks in mild shock at the defined muscle. A surprise - if he ever ends up in an altercation, he has the means to get himself out.

 _A solid eight out of ten_ , he muses with a huff of laughter. _Unremarkable and friendly-looking, so I won't attract much attention from strangers. Plus, there's the kit for a fight if I need it._ It's harder to adjust when he's looking at the world through a lower lens, but he'll cope.

Next, he has a look around the room. Ash can't help but eye that damn bird plush out of the corner of his eye - something with _that_ sort of face can't be up to much good, even if it isn't sentient in any way. Still, it does give him some sort of information. It might just be a toy from his childhood - but that seems less likely, now that Ash has found his clothes drawer. It looks more like a weird gimmick.

Scrounging the rest of the room, he finds a few things of interest - including a small, red token looking object, with writing he can't read on the front. It'd looked like it'd been hidden deliberately, if the clothes piled haphazardly on top were any clue. That meant it had to be _something_ worth keeping an eye on. He'd ask Chouko, but he doesn't know where she stands on this thing, and it could cause more trouble than it's worth. He puts it back.

English workbooks spread across a desk make Ash breathe a sigh of relief. Chouko _had_ mentioned that her brother (... _Ay-gee_?) had been teaching her English, but flicking through the books and seeing the neat writing, it looks like he knows a fair amount. Good. They're going to have to communicate somehow, and Ash isn't about to wake up tomorrow fluent in Japanese. That's a sizable weight off of his mind.

What interests him the most is the medals. They're neatly hanging from clear hooks, various lengths and colours above a high shelf that holds a few pictures. He wonders what they're for - they contrast almost everything else Ash has learnt about him (which is, admittedly, not much). But he supposes the boy had to get that build from somewhere. Taking one down from the hooks, he examines the brilliant metal - not a speck of dust anywhere, meaning they must be cleaned often. He must be proud of them. An image is engraved into the surface. It's a man in some sports gear - he looks to be mid-jump, legs outstretched with a pole in his hands. Ash raises an eyebrow. The only sport he knows of that includes a pole is - well - pole-vaulting. It's certainly not a common sport. Ash wonders whether he'd be able to rely on this body's muscle memory to try it himself. He carefully places the medal back on the hook.

A knock on the door brings his attention away from the shelf and to Chouko standing in the doorway, arms folded.

"You are not dressed?" She shakes her head. "I told my mother who you are, and now she is waiting to meet you. Be quick!"

Ash shrugs. "I don't know where his clothes are," He lies.

"It is not that hard to find!" Chouko strides over to a drawer and thrusts a finger at it. "I will not open it, or Eiji will yell at me... but here!" She leaves the room without waiting for an answer.

A furtive smile creeps across Ash's face before he can stop himself. She kind of reminds him of Skip, if a little more... bossy.

He does change as asked, this time.

* * *

When he enters the kitchen, Chouko immediately gets up and rushes over.

"You are here! Finally!" She takes him by the wrist and brings him over to the table, where three placemats sit, along with three neat pairs of cutlery. A faint smell drifts through the air; it's unfamiliar but still pleasant. Ash gnaws at his lip - he doesn't remember the last time he's had breakfast. "Sit down!" Chouko takes a seat next to him. the stern woman from earlier - Chouko's mother - enters the room, and her eyes widen briefly before adopting a mildly polite expression, and she bows.

Chouko gestures to her as she takes a seat opposite. "This is my mother!" She starts speaking rapid-fire Japanese to the woman, who nods once and says something to Ash, a thin smile spread across her face.

"She says it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Chouko translates.

"Nice to meet you too, m- uh- Miss Okumura." It’s been a while since Ash has tried to show any sort of politeness towards an adult.

Chouko says something to her mother in a petulant tone, who in turn waves a napkin at her, but nods. Beaming, she turns to Ash.

"Finally, we can eat!" She stops short, giving Ash a look. “First - copy my example!”

“Uh…?” Ash is a little perplexed, but he presses his palms together as Chouko does.

“Now. Repeat after me.” She gives him a bright smile. “ _Itadakimasu_! It is said before meals.”

Ash nods, uncertain. “...Itadakimas…?”

Chouko stares at him, lips pursed in thought, before shrugging with a grin. “It is good, for your first attempt!” 

She takes her hands apart and gestures towards the table. “Now it is time to eat!”

In front of each of them sits some sort of vegetable soup - Ash can't say he's ever seen soup incorporated into breakfast - a small bowl of... he's not quite sure, and white, fluffy rice with eggs - _wait, are those eggs raw_? He shoots a glance towards Chouko, who's mixing the rice-and-egg combo with a pair of chopsticks. She stops when she notices Ash's stare.

"Is everything okay?" She asks.

"Well, yeah. It's just-" He nods his head in the direction of the food. "-I don't know what all this is."

Chouko tilts her head to the side. "No? What do you have for breakfast?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing!" She echoes, shaking her head. "You cannot eat _nothing_! Where will you get the energy?" She rolls her eyes. "I cannot believe I have to look after Eiji _and_ his soulmate."

Chouko sighs, jabbing her chopsticks in the direction of his food. "That is a vegetable soup." _Pretty self-explanatory_ , Ash thinks. "White rice and a raw egg." _Can't you get salmonella from raw egg_? "Natto. It is a type of fermented bean. Add the natto to the rice and mix well!"

Ash nods, hesitantly picking up the rice under Chouko's watchful eye, and mixes the raw egg as she did. Pouring out the contents of the smaller bowl - 'fermented beans' already doesn't sound too appetising - he adds those in as well. Chouko's gaze doesn't move from his face as he takes a tentative bite, so he tries not to make too much of a face when it turns out it's _disgusting_. Ash fights the urge to spit it out as he forces himself to swallow. If he acted peculiarly in any way, his soulmate would most likely hear about it, which, in turn, would make it harder for him to trust Ash, who needs his co-operation to keep both of them alive.

He can’t help but wrinkle his nose as he swallows, though. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Chouko, her gaze trained on him and brow furrowed slightly.

They finish breakfast in silence, which surprises him. He'd thought his soulmate's mother would want to know as much as she could about Ash, but she keeps her eyes firmly trained on her food, only glancing up at him when she thinks he's not looking. Chouko is also surprisingly quiet, her gaze flicking between Ash and her mother as if they're playing a game of badminton.

When he clears his plate, Mrs Okumura takes it almost immediately, disappearing into the kitchen with all of their dirty dishware. Ash glances towards Chouko for direction; she's biting at her nail and staring at exactly nothing, although she perks up when she notices him looking. Jumping up from the table, she takes his hand and tugs him along as she makes her way back to her brother's bedroom.

"Your mother was very quiet," He tries. Maybe Ash shouldn't be prying, but he's curious about the abnormal behaviour. Or maybe it isn't abnormal. What does he know about mothers, anyway?

"Ah, yes! She is very..." She lets go of his hand to wave it around. "...stressed."

"Why?" It's a delicate balance between being curious and pushing too far, so he should ask the questions he wants to know before he goes too far past the happy medium.

"Eiji and my mother argue a lot." Chouko grimaces. "I do not know why."

"Oh. I’m sorry." He never was one for consolidation, really. "But what does that have to do with me?"

She shrugs. "Maybe she sees Eiji's face and thinks of all the arguments?" Pasting a smile on her face, she closes the door behind them. "Talking of Eiji - do you want to know about him?"

Ash doesn't comment on the obvious attempt to deflect the conversation; it wouldn’t do for her to get mad at him."You tell me what he's like, first."

Chouko wrinkles her nose. "He is annoying! Always bossing me around... He is not my mother!" She crosses her arms. "It is not his problem if I have not finished my homework!"

Ash wonders if he felt that way about Griff when he was younger.

"And he does a lot of studying." She gestures to the workbooks on his desk. "I could never spend my free time working...! But he says that is how it is in university."

"University?" Ash raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, he is in his first year, but he is home for the summer." Chouko lowers her voice as if Eiji could hear them somehow. "Do not tell him this... but I missed him. Only a little!"

 _If he goes to college, then-_ "How old is your brother?"

"He is nineteen." She catches Ash's raised eyebrows plus his attempt to hide them, and smirks. "How old is he to you?"

"...Fifteen?"

" _I_ am the fifteen-year-old in this household!" Chouko bursts into laughter. Ash decides not to tell her he thought she was a preteen. "But I do not blame you - Eiji looks young to everyone. Do not tell him you thought that! He will be very angry."

"Why? Does he have a short temper?" Looking so young isn't a bad thing. Eiji could use it to his advantage if he tried.

"No! He is very polite and nice. Like a mouse." Chouko scowls. "But he is stubborn, and when he is stubborn he is rude. It is _so_ annoying."

Great. Just what Ash needed. Stubbornness. "Sounds like it sucks."

"It sucks?" Chouko repeats.

"It's bad," He clarifies, and she sighs.

"It is bad when he is stubborn _to_ me, but when he is stubborn _for_ me it is good."

Right. Ash just had to get Eiji to work with him, and it'd be fine.

"Oh!" Chouko perks up, then immediately deflates. "I need to finish my chores."

"What do you have to do?" A roundabout way of saying, _how long will you be gone?_

She holds out her fingers as she lists off her tasks. "I have to clean my room, dust my room, wash my clothes, wash the dishes, clean my hamster cage... ugh, that will take too long!"

"The sooner you get it started, the sooner you'll be done?" Ash shrugs.

"Hm. Yes." She sits up straight, pointing at him. "I will be as quick as possible! And then I will be able to talk to you again!" She jumps up, rushing off.

Ash almost feels bad for pushing her away when she's clearly so enthusiastic about meeting her brother's soulmate.

Almost.

He searches for a pen and paper - getting rid of the notes is easy. Right now, he needs to lay his thoughts out. Once he finds an unused spiral notepad - it's not that hard, there's an abundance near the desk - and a pen, he starts writing. Ash's handwriting is the type that doesn't have time to be neat, or even _legible_ half the time, but it's not like it matters. Even he's barely going to re-read it once all is said and done.

_Childish_

_Physically fit_

_Appears young_

_Speaks English_

_Passive unless stubborn_

Ash looks over the pathetically small list of things he knows about Eiji and fights the urge to laugh. It's barely enough to get a read on the sort of person he is, let alone figure out how to get through to him effectively. He briefly wonders whether he should discard all thoughts of a plan and just tell his soulmate what's happening outright, but almost immediately dismisses that thought. Ash has been raised in hell since the age of ten, so the flames licking at his heels barely burn him anymore. Throwing someone like Eiji into his situation, however? He'll almost certainly be manipulated into the hands of the wrong people, and then they'll both be dead before you can say 'Ah, fuck, I probably should've thought of a plan for this one'.

Still, he pushes on. Plans are flexible, and he can always alter them as this whole mess progresses. Ash pencils down four small numbers.

_6 - 13 - 24 - 31_

To the average onlooker (of which there should be none) the numbers mean nothing - no correlation, no order. To Ash, they're one of the biggest problems he's facing - the dates Dino requests for their _lovely_ get-togethers. The four days a month when he tears into Ash's past and rips it wide open with his questions. Ash answers them correctly, of course - he's the only one that can - unless someone, somehow, managed to learn every critical detail about his eighteen or so years on this Earth. That'd be impossible - unless he told them. 

If the crusty bastard doesn't miraculously kick the bucket by the twenty-fourth, Eiji's going to have to know everything. Ash isn't sure how he'd take it - hell, even he tries not to think about things too hard when he doesn't have to. A voice whispers in the back of his head - _what if your soulmate is disgusted by you?_ \- but he stubbornly ignores it. Their feelings don't matter, not when their lives are at stake. Ash is going to have to tell Eiji about his past, and if he's revolted - well. At least he's not dead.

And unless dropping out of elementary school has finally come back to bite him in the ass, Ash realises they only have ten days until he - or Eiji, in this circumstance - next has to visit Dino. It's not an... _ideal_ amount of time, but he can work with it. He's going to have to waste some days learning Eiji's behaviour and simply getting to know the way he thinks. Dumping all of his background on him at once would cause, at best, confusion, and at worst, complete alienation. 

And it's not like he can do much without talking to Shorter, first. Ash briefly wonders how he's handling the situation, and whether everything's going according to plan. Not that much of it matters, anyway. It was hastily thought out, a temporary fix to a problem he didn't know much about; it's hard to put together a puzzle when half of the pieces are missing. But now he's here (he's really in someone else's body, this is going to be his new normal for a while) he can have a better scope on the situation - like how much control he has over his body when he's not there. Which is pretty much none, it looks like. So his plan of keeping Eiji sheltered isn't going to work out. If Ash Lynx disappears for even just a few days, all hell will break loose.

Shorter guiding Eiji is still a solid idea, though, so he'll keep that. There's no way this boy is going to know how to manage a gang, _and_ avoid people who want him dead, _and_ pose as Ash. Shorter will be able to give him the details he needs to stay in character and stay alive without rousing any suspicion. The only problem is - Eiji doesn't look like the type of person to even have _seen_ a gun in real life, let alone had to fire one. Ash has shot at various targets countless times, enough that the action's ingrained into his very bones. Eiji could rely on muscle memory, but he'd have to check if that was possible first. If not - well, he's going to have to tough it up and learn, isn't he?

Of course, there are ways they could talk directly, without needing a middle man. The first is through simple notes, left for the next day - except it's an incredibly ineffective way of communicating if they actually want to have a conversation. Waiting a day for a response isn't exactly ideal, and if anyone found the note in the time-frame between Eiji writing it and Ash returning to his body, which is a pretty long time, they'd be in deep shit. The second - and the one Ash is more hesitant about - is exchanging phone numbers. It's mean easier conversations, but it'd also put him at a higher risk of being tracked, especially if Eiji punched the number into any old phone. Danger aside, time zones would be an obvious pain in the ass. Still, it'd be the most effective way of talking, especially if he has a lot to say. Right now it's best to trust Shorter.

Ash stares down at the pencil lines meandering across the paper, absent-mindedly drawn by him as he was lost in thought. He scrunches up his notes with a newly-found certainty from a solid plan and shoves it into his pocket for later disposal. There are still uncertainties, but when are plans ever perfect? Once he gets to speak with Shorter again, he'll fill him in, and he'll hear about what happened on their end of the swap.

Despite the old plan being pretty much redundant, Ash still hopes Shorter carried it out. Of course, Eiji inevitably is going to learn his name, where he is, and all the uncomfortable details from his childhood, but there's no need for him to see his face and his biggest identifier.

Ash silently leaves the room and starts exploring the rest of the house. He opens the door closest to him, first - it's just a bathroom, nothing special. He takes the opportunity to tear up his paper and flush them down the toilet. It wouldn't do to leave cryptic notes in Eiji's pockets. He pads out of the bathroom and peeks his head around the next door - and it's like he's looking at a bedroom in a model home. None of it looks lived in; not the neatly made bed, the blank walls, or the indiscriminate books lining the shelves. Sure, Ash's room lacks personality, mostly because he doesn't give a single fuck about how pretty his living space is, but at least anyone could tell someone lives there. He gently closes the door behind him, a strange feeling pulling the corners of his mouth down. 

Ash pushes open the last door, and is greeted with the sight of Chouko, back to him and bent over, whispering in Japanese. He almost leaves then and there, but she hasn't spotted him yet. Taking purposefully loud steps, he walks into her room. Chouko jumps, squeaking, as she looks over her shoulder.

"Oh! It is just you." All the tension leaves her body, and she smiles. "I am just cleaning the hamster cage." Chouko straightens and turns around. She thrusts her cupped hands forward, and on her palms sits a small, brown hamster. It sniffles at Ash. "He is called Kurumi."

"Cool."

Chouko nods, beaming. "Yes! He is cool." She jerks her head to the left, pulling the hamster back towards her chest. "Fetch the plastic hamster ball, please?"

"Sure."

"Thank you!"

Ash picks up Chouko's plastic ball and brings it over. She carefully places the hamster inside and screws it shut, placing it on the floor.

"He will stay inside when I clean the cage," Chouko explains. "Please do not step on him!" She picks up a phone, a small cat charm dangling from it. Bright, bubbly music starts playing from the speaker, and she places it back down. 

Grimacing, Chouko pulls on some rubber gloves, places a bin bag on her desk, and squeezes soap onto a sponge.

"You can stay as I clean if you would like." She starts scrubbing. "Oh! And do not worry about the photo. I will replace it, and he will never notice!" Turning briefly around, she shoots a wink over her shoulder. "I have had to do it many times before."

Ash nods, even though she's no longer looking at him. He meanders around the room, but there's nothing too interesting - it's about as basic of a room as her brother's. Instead of a wall of medals, however, there's a shelf of films. Ash takes a random one from the neat rows and examines it with half-formed interest. He can't read any of it, of course, but from the cover, it looks to be some sort of thriller. 

"What are you looking at?" Chouko calls over her shoulder. She cranes her neck as Ash shows her the case. "Oh! It is a very good movie. But I am not supposed to watch it - I am too young."

"How come you've got it, then?" 

Chouko grins. "My friend and I stole it."

"Did you?" Ash raises an eyebrow. "Am I gonna have to call the cops on you, huh? Little criminal."

Ash is joking, of course, the way he does with Skip, but Chouko eyes are blown wide.

"No! We did not steal it!" She pouts. "...He asked his sister to borrow the film, and she said we can keep it."

"Oh. Okay." Maybe she's not that much like Skip.

Maybe Ash misses him, just a little.

"It is a very good film. We can watch it together! It has subtitles!" Chouko pauses. "If you would like to."

"Okay."

Chouko stares at him for an uncomfortably long amount of time, before finally going back to her scrubbing.

* * *

What Ash sees of the movie is pretty interesting. Chouko slots the disc into her laptop ("It is very old...") and after flopping down onto her bed and placing it in front of her, she gestures to Ash to do the same. It looks like a crime thriller, and although it has many inaccuracies ( _Don't keep your finger on the trigger, idiot, you'll literally shoot yourself in the foot_ ) at the end of the day it's just fiction, and it does its job of keeping him entertained.

It's nice to sit back and do about nothing, though. Ash feels a little antsy, like he should be doing something, and he finds himself scanning the room frequently. It's not like there's much else he can do, though, so he does try his best to stay focused on the film. He doesn't remember the last time he was able to waste time like this. The screen turns into a blur of monochrome as Ash's eyes fall closed.

* * *

There's a loud _thump_ and Ash jerks awake, hand moving instantly to his side. His gun isn't there. He whips his head around to find the source of the noise, preparing for a fight, only to be faced with Shorter refilling a box with various packets sat on the floor.

"Oh." He raises his eyebrows upon noticing Ash. "You're awake?"

"Yeah," Ash grunts, before frowning at Shorter. "Why'd you put me in a storage room?" He presses onto the concrete floor, scowling. "Might as well've just rolled me in nails. Ugh."

"Oh!" Shorter says again, visibly brightening. "It's you! You're back! How was it?"

"Gimme a second." Ash rubs a palm against his face in an effort to wipe the exhaustion away.

"Sure, man." Shorter picks up the box and sets it on one of the many shelves in the storage room. "I'll be out here when you're less of an asshole, yeah?"

"Fuck off," Ash mutters with no real malice as Shorter leaves.

Groaning at the ache in his bones, Ash picks himself off of the floor. He feels uneasy having no weapon on him, especially now he's back in New York. Ash pats his pockets down, just to double-check - which is when he sees it. Frowning, he unwinds the bandage wrapped around his arm. Instead of a mess of red or a clean-cut like expected, he sees a row of neat writing. Ash squints as he reads - half because he's wondering why the hell he has a whole damn letter on his arm, and half because he can't read for shit without his glasses.

_Dear Ash-_

Already off to a great start with the use of his name. Not that it mattered with his new plan.

His soulmate introduces himself, detailing his day. It looks like Shorter and Skip managed him fairly well.

- _Your name doesn't match your appearance at all!_

Ash freezes at that, briefly entertaining the idea that he's just misread it, but as he continues, he realises that Eiji's somehow gotten a look at his face. Pressing his lips together, he sighs - that'll be something else to talk to Shorter about. The smiley face sitting at the base of his forearm looks almost mocking. Ash resists the urge to rub it clean, only because he needs it.

He pushes the door open and marches over to Shorter, who's sitting in one of the diner booths on his phone. Neither Skip nor Nadia are anywhere to be seen. Sliding into the seat opposite, Ash extends an arm and waits for him to take notice. 

"What are you..." Shorter asks, putting his phone down. He trails off upon seeing Ash's arm and grins. "Damn. How long's your to-do list?"

So he doesn't know what it is. 

Ash sighs, rolling his eyes. "Read the writing, dumbass."

Placing his sunglasses onto the table, Shorter does as told. As his eyes roam across the neat handwriting, they get wider, and wider, until when his head snaps back up and meets Ash's gaze, he could nearly laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

"I-" Shorter shakes his head. "I don't know when he did that. Or when he saw you."

"Were you with him the whole time?"

"Yeah, like you said, except-" He stops short. "-Oh, shit."

Ash leans closer, furrowing his brow. "What?"

"There's a mirror in the bathroom." Shorter heaves a tired sigh. "I'm sorry, man. Should've been more careful."

"It's fine." Ash isn't going to chastise his friend when he's tried his hardest to stay on top of the menial task given to him. "Not like you could've followed him inside."

"Guess so." Shorter chuckles, before his tired smile grows into more of a grimace, and his eyes darken. "...Skipper said your boys were asking where you were today."

Ash leans back, folding his arms across his chest. "And what did he tell them?"

"You had to smoke out some rats hiding on the other side of town."

"Good." He'll have to give Skip his thanks when he sees him tomorrow morning.

"But what excuse is he gonna give next time this happens? And the next?" Shorter's frown only grows deeper. "You can't keep doing this. Even the stupidest of your boys are gonna figure out what's going on if you keep disappearing every other day, forget the real smart people who want you dead."

Ash sighs. "I know - I've thought about it."

Shorter raises an eyebrow, leaning in. "And?"

"Here's what I've been thinking." 

A myriad of emotions crosses Shorter's face as the plan is laid out in front of him, but he finally settles on grim determination, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"So - what do you think?"

Shorter's silent. "...It's gonna be hard."

Ash scoffs at that. "No shit. When are things _not_ hard for us?"

"True." A humourless chuckle accompanies Shorter's words. "But I'm not sure if I can get him to cooperate with all that. I barely managed today, and that's only because Skip was there."

"Skip'll help you, then. And since Eiji’s already spent some time with you, I'm sure he'll be more inclined to listen to you."

Shorter heaves a sigh, slumping onto the table. "You give me the most difficult shit to do, man."

"You can back out if you want." He won't, of course - they've been involved with each other for too long for Shorter to not help him out again.

"Nah. You'd die if I did." Shorter smirks. "And believe it or not, I don't really wanna see my friends dead."

"Really?" Ash rolls his eyes good-naturedly. 

"Really," Shorter repeats, with all the sincerity of a convicted criminal pleading not guilty. "But I do expect something in return."

"What?"

"Stay the _fuck_ away from my kitchen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again a massive thank you to [my beta](https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/Phillida/pseuds/Phillida?hide_banner=true) for helping me through this chapter :)
> 
> next time things start to kick off a lil >:) if you enjoyed this chapter i'd love to know your thoughts!
> 
> edit:now with a [chouko!](https://norisquared.tumblr.com/post/631795882335059968/this-is-my-eijis-sister-chouko-okumura-from-my)
> 
> [bf tumblr!](https://norisquared.tumblr.com/)


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